My country's government has shut down.
And all hell has broken loose...
Kidding! That's not true.
There are currently no signs of chaos, however, the government of the United States has officially shut down after Senate Republicans and Democrats were unable to agree on a stopgap funding measure to continue government services.
Thus, we're currently in a limbo period.
And although this has happened a few dozen times over the past 40 years, it got me thinking in a different way...
If you're from the United States, or you follow us on the tabloids (lol), then you know that Donald Trump taking the office was a... well... a big deal.
I live in an extremely liberal city (Austin, Texas) and the backlash from this decision was tremendous.
Never in my life had I ever seen so many people give up their power by deciding a government dictated the quality of their lives.
This was quite honestly difficult to watch, as just about every conversation I had in Austin, seemed to stem from a place of hopelessness, anger, and utter confusion.
Thus, now that the government has officially shut down, I thought it would be a good time to share my thoughts on the importance of realizing our innate and profound power as individuals in a society.
Are you ready?
Cuz' I'm bout to thrown down some red, white, and boom-shaka-boom!
Realizing Our Super Powers
As humans brought up into a society that we didn't create, we often forget that this society was actually constructed by humans too.
It didn't just magically appear, it began with a few individuals that understood their own power, and with a collaborative will, slowly but surely built what is known today as, a government, nation, society, culture, etc , etc.
I believe that this concept is often forgotten, as many of us tend to rely heavily on a government as though it really is our Big Brother.
And it is this forgetfulness, that can lead us astray...
For we forget that the power that brought us together, was merely a collaborative effort of many, many individuals working together.
We forget that we also still have this power - that it is ingrained within our blood, sweat, and tears.
We forget that we still do always have a choice to change and that we likely will need to do so, as nothing lasts forever.
When we forget that the power within us is massively dominate to any force outside of us, then we are (in a nutshell) choosing enslavement.
Now I am not here to start any sort of conspiracy theory rant...
But theoretically, if you truly believe that an external power had more power than your own personal will, wouldn't that ultimately suggest that you believe you are a slave?
I surely am not here to live out my life as a slave to the world around me and I sure hope that my fellow family, friends, and neighbors would feel the same way.
I believe that regardless of what is happening around you, you can still do and be anything that you want to be... even when your government doesn't support it.
How is that you say?
It all comes down to your will, and a choice.
Doing The Things You Wish Your Government Would Do
I hear this bullshit all the time and I'm over it:
"If only the government would do (insert need here), then this country would be worth living in."
Here's the thing: you are capable of starting, building, and innovating any aspect of government you could ever even dream of.
It really just starts with one simple thing: a choice.
If what you want is not being done in the government, you can choose to start doing that right now at this very moment.
Here's a few bullshit beliefs that keep us from actually making that choice:
BS Belief #1: "You Need A Degree To Have Authority"
I attended medical school with the intention of gaining authority by having high credentials. I dropped out realizing that the only credentials I would need is my actions, and that these actions would surely convey my authority.
The culture I live in still holds a lot of value towards accreditation and many do subscribe to this accreditation = authority belief.
However, when you take a look at the infographic below, it becomes pretty clear that many of the major players in the United States were college dropouts.
They were essentially idiots in the eyes of the public - but then they created something special - and now what they've created has influenced much of, not just their nation, but their world.
Let your true actions serve as your true authority.
BS Belief #2: "You Need Funding To Start A Program"
This is completely and utterly false.
The more I experience this in my own life, the more I feel comfortable throwing this belief into the trash.
The fact is, anything worth doing can be done right now.
Here's why I say that.
After spending 7+ years in undergraduate and graduate school, I realized that the education system that I grew up in was lacking tremendously.
Through various experiences, I realized that art and creativity were absolutely necessary and that the schools of the future would discover incredible ways to integrate these aspects into the daily lives of students.
Fast forward to when I moved to Austin...
I started a community improv group three years ago with a friend.
This literally started as a meetup where we would meet at libraries each week to play improv theater games.
It was completely free for attendees and very low overhead costs.
Fast forward three years later...
I found myself and a friend in a meeting room with one of the head Park and Rec directors for the city of Austin.
We're currently on our way to offering city-wide programming to children and adults of Austin!
Sure, I'm not starting a school but I am providing social emotional education to my city.
So what's the difference?
It's the same shit if you ask me!
You don't need the funding, you just need to start doing.
BS Belief #3: "You Need To Know What You're Doing"
Live at least 25 years on this Earth and you will likely figure out the truth:
No one knows what they are doing.
I think this truth was best stated in Richard Linklater's masterpiece: Boyhood
If you haven't seen this one yet... please do!
It was an incredibly innovative movie due to the fact that it was filmed over a 14 year period.
The movie depicts the childhood and adolescence of a boy from ages six to eighteen as he grows up in Texas with divorced parents.
As the boy grows up, he slowly realizes that the people he thought had a good handle on life (his parents and elders), were in the end, just as confused as he was.
They were just winging it.
Interestingly enough...
We are all really just winging it.
You may disagree with that. If so, take a gander at the world of cryptocurrency.
Did you know that most currencies only last about 40-80 years on average?
We are certainly winging it now and we will continue to wing it for many, many years to come.
Now taking this back to my own personal experience...
When I first started weekly improv meetups, I actually had no idea what I was doing.
I had been to one basic improv class... but I had no idea how to LEAD a class, let alone do an actual improv scene!
This was most definitely a challenge and there were many days that I felt incredibly unworthy and out of my element.
I honestly felt like a total fake for the longest of times, especially when I found myself at other improv theaters.
But hey, I figured it out.
In time, my choice to continue showing up taught me what I needed to learn.
Three years later I still teach improv classes and I love it.
What's really amazing is that there's some incredibly advanced improvisors in my city, who have no idea how to lead an improv class.
And that right there made me realize the true fact:
Becoming who you want to become, is a choice.
Your LIFE Is The Poll Booth
So often people think that real change happens because we vote on it.
I agree with this only if you are voting outside of the polls.
For what happens in the polls, is nice and cute and all, but the real voting occurs in your daily choices and actions.
When You Go Buy Food, You Are Voting
The last time you went shopping, did you buy cheap and dirty food? Or was it healthy and clean?
Your selection was the vote you submitted to the cashier.
You better be sure as hell that the grocery store is listening.
If you're going to buy what they're providing, then they'll just keep on keeping on.
Your voice matters, remember?
When You Ingest Content, You Are Voting
The last time you went online, did you let the Facebook clickbait sweep you away?
Or did you find yourself curating high value content on Steemit?
If you clicked on the clickbait, know that your vote was noted by Facebook.
They care about what you interact with.
Your voice was certainly heard (and recorded).
And that post you just curated on Steemit...
Yep, your voice was heard.
Not only by its trip to the trending page.
But the fact that you just supported an artist who was, at one point in time, struggling to pay rent.
I Could Go On And On...
But you get the point, right?
Every choice is a vote.
When you choose to bring a positive attitude with you to work: you are voting for inspiration.
When you choose to help and support others: you are voting for extended families.
When you give without expecting anything in return: you are voting for a thriving world.
We make so many choices each day that it becomes incredibly obvious when you add it all up...
But it all comes down to a choice.
Which brings me to my final question:
What will you choose?
I want to give a quick shout out to @sndbox. They are an "Incubator for Creatives and Communities" here on Steemit and they're constantly encouraging and supporting fellow Steemians in locally-based community projects. Ever since I heard of them I've been following them. @sndbox, I thought of you guys while writing this article and thought that you might enjoy it :)
Thanks For Stopping By :)
Thanks For Stopping By :)
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